This
ride will take you through the most beautiful sections
of Indiana. The scenery and the roads are top notch and
the amenities are very good for a Midwest rural area. Miles and miles of healthy and lush hardwood forest.
Motorcycle
Road Quality:
Sections
of this route offers some of the best motorcycle roads in
the Midwest. Many sections have sharp turns leading into
climbs or descents. If you go in the spring or fall you
will want to make sure you are careful of other scenic route
travelers who may be paying more attention to the scenery
than to the road.
Motorcycle
Roadside Amenities:
Bloomington
Indiana is home of one of the largest colleges in Indiana
– Indiana University. You might enjoy just cruising around
the campus or the town with its famous collection of limestone
buildings. Indiana University has a great art museum with
works from famous artists such as Picasso and Andy Warhol.
Every spring (April) the college holds a local favorite
bicycle race called the Little 500. The old Kevin Costner
movie – Breaking Away – was partially inspired by the Little
500 and scenes from the movie were shot on the campus.
An early 20th century artist by the name of Theodore Clement
Steele has a state historic site built in his honor just
south of the town of Belmont off or route 46. You may see
some of the fine furniture and decorations he created as
well of some of his paintings. The site also offers walking
trails that will let you see some of the very scenery that
inspired his work. Keep going south and you will find a
large reservoir known as Monroe Lake. When you get back
on the route and continue heading east along Rte. 46, you
will come to Nashville Indiana. Nashville Indiana has
grown to become one of the more popular country heritage
towns in the Midwest. This town is known for its artists,
art galleries, antique collections and craft shops as well
as being the home of the John Dillinger Wax Museum.
Further along the route you will definitely want to take
a detour into Brown County State Park. Here you will find
a small collection of some of the nicest motorcycle roads
in the state. You will enjoy the curves and climbs even
though the park has relatively slow speed limits. You could
spend a nice weekend in the park. The park offers accommodations
such as camping, cabins, a lodge hotel, trails, water sports
and hiking. The route then heads south on Rte. 135 finally
giving you a chance to open it up a bit. The road meanders
through a winding coarse that takes you through southern
rural Indiana. You will pass by another State Recreation
Area (Starve Hollow) and through a nice country Indiana
town – Salem. Next you will pass through Indiana’s first
capital established in 1816 in the town of Corydon. You
can checkout its limestone capital building. Corydon also
offers a 16-mile scenic railroad tour that travels roundtrip
through the local forest and hills. Just to the south of
Corydon you will find the site where Indiana’s only Civil
War battle took place. Here an outnumbered state home guard
surrendered to a vastly larger Confederate force. The Confederate’s
stole fresh supplies and horses and continued on their way.
At the southern tip of the route you will find Squire Boone
Caverns. Squire was a brother of the famous Daniel Boone
and once used a local cave to hide from some pursuing Indians.
He later returned and settled in the area. Today a very
small pioneer themed amusement park offers a taste of pioneer
history as well as tours of the areas caverns.
Directions:
From
Bloomington
Indiana head east on state route 46. Look for the signs
to Nashville if you wish to visit that town (you will head
north on route 135 for a few miles). Take 135 south for
the rest of the route ... all the way down to the Indiana/Kentucky
border.
Additional
Information:
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Comments page 1 of 0
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Jeff -
Posted 347 days ago
09/20/09 - 135 at the Jackson Co. Line has had a fresh coat of chip-&-seal added recently. There is lots of loose gravel and the road is hazardous especially on the corners. For those traveling this route, please exercise caution.
This user rated the route: 10 out of 10
Posted 94 days ago
I just rode Hwy 135 last week and it was honestly the best ride I've had. I took 46 out of Bloomington to Brown County state park. Rode through the park to 135 and followed 135 all the way down to where it runs into Hwy 50. From there I took 50 -> 250 -> 39 -> 256 down to Madison, IN, right on the Ohio river. The Hwy 39 and 256 part of the ride was almost as good as the ride on 135 and offered some great riding and scenery.
This user rated the route: 10 out of 10
Posted 380 days ago
IN 135 is a great ribbon of a windy, hilly road!!! Stop in Story, IN to see the old store & restaurant: it looks like you stepped back into 1920 or 1930's. the food is excellent. The best part of 135 is from Nashville, IN to Brownstown, IN, (I think)but keep going to see the INDIANA coutryside. Usually minimal traffic. Corydon has a lot to see & do, especially if you are a history buff. 135 from Corydon to Mauckport is pretty uneventful, other that crossing Ohio river into Kentucky. From Corydon, I recommend going east on IN 62 & IN 66 and taking the Ohio Scenic Byway to Evansville. Stop at The Overlook Restaurant in Leavonworth to eat, and watch the tug boats and barges on the Ohio River. Great photo op!!!
